Proxy vs VPN: What’s the Difference? (2026)

While both hide your IP, they serve different purposes. A VPN encrypts all your device traffic and routes it through a single server, prioritizing privacy. A proxy operates at the application level (like a browser), routing specific traffic through specific IPs without full encryption.

For web scraping and multi-accounting, proxies are superior because you can rotate thousands of IPs. See how Bright Data vs Decodo handle proxy rotation.

Data last verified: October 2026. Prices sourced from official provider websites.